I made my first bass

[thetyreman]

well kind of..

I put together a kit bass, still cut the nut from a bone blank and cut the slots for the strings, wired it up and did all the finishing.

it was a surprising amount of work and took a good 2 weeks, it was supposed to be an entry into the great guitar build off competition but I didn't finish it on time, ah well.

I have a working bass though and it sounds great, perfect for recording.

 

[novocaine]

looks good.
a kit is great but rarely is it as straight forward as people think, I've done a couple (doing a LP Jnr at the moment in fact). you have to learn setup to get it right and most people fall down at that point, especially things like fret leveling.

I must admit to being rather partial to a Pbass.

 

[AndyP]

I know nothing about the technicalities of making such an instrument. I do like listening to the noise they make.
Yours looks the part. Do you play.

We really should have a WH2 band.

 

[Malc2098]

Nice.

Love the colour.

 

[9fingers]

I know very little about guitars but cannot think what this part outlined in red is for?

Bob

 

[novocaine]

Gives the d and g strings the correct break angle. There is an argument about what the correct break angle is but thats a different discussion.

Why is break angle inportant? Makes the string resonate correctly.

 

[AJB Temple]

Nice job. I've never made a bass and never used a kit. Are you going to show us the WIP?

 

[Malc2098]

I know very little about guitars but cannot think what this part outlined in red is for?

Bob

It's called a string tree, because some of the smaller versions for guitars have a cross section that might loosely be described as like that of a tree.

 

[9fingers]

I know very little about guitars but cannot think what this part outlined in red is for?

Bob

It's called a string tree, because some of the smaller versions for guitars have a cross section that might loosely be described as like that of a tree.

I'd expected one per string if the angle is that critical but as I say I know nought about guitars.

Bob

 

[novocaine]

The other two are already at the right break angle due to the proximity to the nut. Look where the tree is placed and you'll see its midway between the e and a pins.
Its only realky an issue on flat stocks like this. With a slopped headstock it becomes built in.

A fender guitar (not bass) has 2 trees.

 

[Malc2098]

'...two trees...'

Like on my copy of a Fender Telecaster from 1998, my first guitar I made.

 

[thetyreman]

+1 the string tree just ensures the strings are pushing down at an angle behind the nut, it helps with tuning stability, will have to upload a side photo of the headstock.

 

[Mike G]

Well done Ben, that looks great. I watched a luthier at work once, and the son of a friend of mine is a pro guitar repairer, so I know that these things aren't straightforward at all.

 

[Steve Maskery]

That looks fantastic, great job!
I have a semi-accoustic bass that I bought 8 or 9 years ago on a whim that I could be as good as my mate Steve, who can make a bass sing. I love to hear it. Needless to say, you can coulnt on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've taken it out of its bag.
Shame on me, it's not as if I don't have the time.

 

[novocaine]

I guess no one has mentioned this to you, but you can't stop at one. You have opened the box, now you will have an itch to do another, then a 6 string, then something of your own design, then........

 

[Philly]

Lovely job, looks great! Like the stain, kind of aged already (but in a good way!)
I've made a fair few guitars and there is so much work in them it's difficult to explain. Kits are a great way to get started and you've done a lovely job.
Phil

 

[thetyreman]

thanks! you are right about getting the bug, I have opened a pandoras box....what did I get myself into? :lol: